Shape-holding deformable brim extender

ABSTRACT

A brim extender attaches to any standard baseball-style cap and includes a malleable shape-holding portion that allows the user to deform portions of the brim extender to meet the sub-blocking and/or aesthetic needs of the user. Thus, the brim extender may provide advantages including (1) improved sun protection that may be customized by reconfiguring the shape of the brim extender, (2) additional options for style and appearance of the hat, (3) display of promotional items (e.g., a new thing that can be labeled, colored, or styled to market a brand), and/or (4) an added barrier between the head and the crown of the cap to shield or partially shield the cap from perspiration and other substances coming from the scalp or hair.

BACKGROUND Field

Improvements to baseball-style caps (or simply “baseball caps” or“caps”).

Description of the Related Art

Baseball-style caps have become very common throughout the world and areused for many purposes by men, women, and children. Such caps typicallyinclude a relatively stiff front brim or “bill” portion attached to asoft domed “crown” portion. They may be made of various solid or meshfabrics, leather, or other such materials. The bill portion may bepre-shaped into an arched contour and is often reinforced with plasticor cardboard. The user can generally manually bend the bill portion toadjust the arch. The crown portion may be adjustable to fit heads ofvarious circumferences. The adjustment device, usually in the posteriorpart of the cap is sometimes a strip of fabric or plastic, and mayinclude a buckle device, Velcro, or other interlocking mechanism. Capsmay also include an elastic headband portion to enable an adjustable fitor may not have a size adjustment feature. Although referred to here as“baseball-style caps,” we use this term to describe a wide variety ofsimilar caps that may be referred to in the marketplace as golf caps,trucker hats, fitted caps, snap-back caps, and other such terms that alldescribe hats made of various materials that consist of a crown andfrontal brim.

Once used primarily by baseball players, such caps are now used in manyother sports, workplaces, and recreational environments. They are oftenalso manufactured and sold as promotional items, meaning that a businessor team may print a logo and/or use a color scheme on the hat that helpspromote a particular brand. Logos may be embroidered, printed, orotherwise attached to the cap. Despite the wide number of purposes forbaseball-style caps and the large number of manufacturers, such capshave a relatively common shape.

SUMMARY

Baseball-style caps afford some head and facial sun protection, but maynot adequately shade the ears, side of the face, or back of the neck.Thus, disclosed herein are improvements to baseball-style caps in theform of an attachment that may serve one or more functions, including:(1) extending sun protection along the sides and posterior portion ofthe hat, (2) changing the style and appearance of the hat, (3) providinga new promotional item (e.g., a new thing that can be labeled, colored,or styled to market a brand), and/or (4) providing an added barrierbetween the head and the crown of the cap to shield or partially shieldthe cap from perspiration and other substances coming from the scalp orhair. The invention also includes an attachment, generally referred toas a “brim extender” herein, designed for a baseball-style cap that maybe sold in conjunction with a matching baseball cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a person wearing a baseball cap with a brim extenderattached thereto.

FIG. 2A illustrates a cap and a brim extender.

FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the cap and brim extender with a portion ofthe bill extending through the slit in the brim extender.

FIG. 2C is a top view of the cap with the brim extender attached viainsertion of the bill through the slit of the cap.

FIG. 3A is a top view of a hat prior to attachment of the brim extender.

FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the cap and brim extender with a portion ofthe bill extending through the slit in the brim extender.

FIG. 3C is a top view of the cap with the brim extender attached viainsertion of the bill through the slit of the cap.

FIG. 4A is a top view and FIG. 4B is a perspective view of anotherexample brim extender.

FIGS. 5A-5I are a series of representations of the brim extender beingattached to a cap.

FIG. 6 illustrates the cap with the brim extender attached, ready foruse by a wearer.

FIG. 7 illustrates a two layer brim extender, including layers and.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example manufacturing environment that may be usedto manufacture brim extenders.

FIG. 9 illustrates another example embodiment of a brim extender thatincludes two attachment slits.

FIG. 10 illustrates another example of a brim extender with a malleableshape-holding member.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of layers of a brim extender, including atop layer, a bottom layer, and a malleable shape-holding memberinterspersed between.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate an example brim extender attached to a baseballcap, with the brim extender in three different configurations that aregenerally held in place by a malleable shape-holding member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a person or user 160 wearing a baseball cap 100 witha brim extender 110 attached thereto. In this example, a bill 101extends ahead of a wearer 160 to provide some shade on the wearer'sface. The brim extender 110 advantageously enhances the overall sunprotection of the combined cap/brim extender apparatus by providingadditional shade to the sides and back of the users face and neck.

FIG. 2A illustrates a cap 200 and a brim extender 210. The cap includesa bill 201 and crown 202 portions. The crown 202 includes an adjustmentdevice 220, which may include an interlocking mechanism, a buckle, hookand loop material, and/or other material that allows a sized of thecrown 202 to be adjusted (e.g., to fit larger or smaller heads). Thebill 201 may be a relatively stiff material while the crown 202 may be amore flexible material configured to fit on a person's head. Forexample, the bill 201 and crown 202 may be made of foam, plastic,leather, and/or other materials. In the example of FIG. 2A, the brimextender 210 is configured to attach to the cap 200 to provided one ormore of the advantages noted above. For example, the brim extender 210may provide additional protection from the sun, beyond the shadingprovided by the bill 201 and crown 202 of the cap 200.

In the example of FIG. 2A, the brim extender 210 is shaped to enableattachment to the cap 200 without strings, tape, glue, or mechanicalfasteners. In this embodiment, the brim extender 210 includes an “underthe crown” portion 212 (e.g., including the multiple tabs 213 in theexample of FIG. 2A) configured to fold between the crown 202 of the cap200 and the head of a wearer. Depending on the embodiment, this underthe crown portion 212 may be of various shapes and sizes. For example,the under the crown portion 212 of the brim extender 210 includesseveral tabs 213 that are divided with slits in material of the brimextender 210, while the under the crown portion of the brim extender 310(FIG. 3A) includes four tabs 313 spaced apart by larger openings (e.g.,material that is removed during the manufacturing or assembly process),and an under the crown portion of the brim extender 410 (FIG. 4A)includes a single tab under the crown portion 412. Other variations inthe under the crown portion of the brim extender are contemplated, suchas to include any other quantity, shape, spacing, etc. of tab portions.

Returning to FIG. 2A, the brim extender 210 also includes a slit-likeopening 214 configured to enable passage of the bill 202 of the baseballcap 200 such that a portion 216A of the brim extender 210 comes to lieabove the brim. A shading portion 216 also extends outward around thesides and back of the crown 202 when worn by a wearer, while the underthe crown portion 212 folds between the crown 202 and the wearer's head.This combination of “over the bill” and “under the crown” portions of asingle continuous attachment enables the brim extender 210 to remain inposition when worn, while still being easily removable when desired. Insome embodiments, the brim extender 210 may include one or more fixationdevice, such as a clip, pin, hook and loop material, and/or glue, toprovide further attachment of the brim extender 210 and the cap 200. Inthe example of FIG. 2A, no additional fixation device is used to keepthe brim extender 210 in proper position.

The brim extender 210 may vary in shape, such as smooth contour orjagged contour. In some embodiments, the brim extender 210 is arelatively flat sheet of material, or may be made of a material thatsimulates appearance of human hair, for example. Portions of the billextender 210 may be labeled via embroidering, printing, orother-attachment. As discussed further below with reference to FIG. 8 ,brim extenders may be manufactured from a single flat piece of plastic,foam, fabric, rubber, neoprene, leather or other such substance, orproduced from a variety of substances that are sewn or otherwise bondedtogether (see, e.g., FIG. 7 ). Brim extenders may be sold as standaloneproducts (e.g., for attachment to a cap of the purchaser's choice)and/or may be packaged with a cap (e.g., with a similar color, style,etc.). The design could be incorporated into a new and distinct style ofbaseball cap.

FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the cap 200 and brim extender 210 with aportion of the bill 201 extending through the slit 214 in the brimextender 210. As shown, the tabs 213 are configured to be pressed intothe crown 202 of the cap 200 when placed on the head of a wearer, suchthat compression of the tabs 213 between the wearer's head and the crown202 of the cap maintain position of the brim extender 210 with referenceto the cap 200. FIG. 2C is a top view of the cap 200 with the brimextender 210 attached via insertion of the bill 201 through the slit 214of the cap 200. As shown, with the brim extender 210 attached in thismanner, the area of shading provided to a wearer is significantlyincreased.

FIG. 3A is a top view of a cap 300 prior to attachment of the brimextender 310. As noted above, the brim extender 310 includes four tabs313 configured to fit between a head of the wearer and the crown 302 ofthe cap 300. FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the cap 300 and brim extender310 with a portion of the bill 301 extending through the opening 330 inthe brim extender 310. As shown, the tabs 313 are configured to bepressed into the crown 302 of the cap 300 when placed on the head of awearer. FIG. 3C is a top view of the cap 300 with the brim extender 310attached via insertion of the bill 301 through opening in the brimextender 310. In this example, the brim extender 310 includes a largerfront shading portion 311 that extends forward beyond the length of thebill 301. In other embodiments the length of the front portion 311 maybe even larger. Similarly, the length of side and rear portions of thebrim extender 310 may be larger or smaller in other embodiments.

FIG. 4A is a top view and FIG. 4B is a perspective view of anotherexample brim extender 410. In this example, the under the crown portionincludes an attachment tab 413 configured to fit through an attachmentslit 414 to attach the brim extender 410 to a cap. In particular, anexpanded portion 413A of the tab 413 is wider than the slit 414 so thatonce the tab 413A is through the slit (e.g., by manually compressing theexpanded portion 413A as pushing through the slit 414), the expandedportion 413A maintains the attachment of the tab 413 around anadjustment device 220 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2A) of a cap. In theexample of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the brim extender 410 also includes adhesivetabs 415 configured to further secure the brim extender 410 to the billof the cap 400. In some embodiments, there may be none, one, or morethan two tabs 415. In some embodiments, the tabs may include ahook-and-loop type fastener, such as Velcro, or a similarly adherentfabric rather than an adhesive material. The tabs may be configured toattach to a corresponding hook-and-loop type fastener (e.g., Velcro) ora similarly adherent fabric that is glued or sewn to the undersurface ofthe bill. In some embodiments, the undersurface of the brim may havestrips of Velcro or a similarly adherent fabric sewn or glued to it toattach the upper surface of Velcro strips or a similarly adherencefabric that are sewn or glued to upper surface of the bill of the cap.

In another embodiment, the attachment tab 413 may not pass through aslit but instead pass through a retaining strap or keeper that is sewnin the approximate position of slit 414. In one embodiment thatattachment tab 413 does not have an expanded end, but instead has a foldor seam that loops under a retaining strap or keeper. In anotherembodiment, the attachment tab 413 may slide between the crown of thecap and the user's head to keep the cap in place. In another embodiment,tab 413 or an equivalent tab may contain Velcro or a similarly adherentfabric (e.g., any fabric that contains hooks) that attaches to a stripof Velcro or a similarly adherent fabric that is sewn or glued to theundersurface of the crown of the cap in a matching position.

FIGS. 5A-5I are a series of representations of the brim extender 410being attached to a cap 400. Beginning with FIG. 5A, the cap 400 isshown separate from the brim extender 410. As noted above, the brimextender 410 may be acquired (e.g., as a gift or purchase) separatelyfrom the cap 400 or may be packaged with the cap 400. In FIG. 5B, a userremoves a backing material 416 from one of the tabs 415. A similarprocess may be performed on the other tab 415 to expose an adhesivematerial on the tabs 415. In this example embodiment, the adhesive onthe tabs 415 adhere to a bottom side of the bill 401 to provide a moresecure connection between the brim extender 410 and the cap 400.Continuing to FIG. 5C, the bill 401 of the cap 400 is inserted into theopening 430. FIG. 5D illustrates the tabs 415, with the adhesive surfaceexposed, being pushed under the bill 201. FIGS. 5E-5H illustrate thebottom side of the cap while attaching the attachment tab 413 around anadjustment device 420 of the cap 400. As show in FIG. 5H, with theattachment tab 413 wrapped around the adjustment device 420 of the cap400, the expanded portion 413A extends through the slit 414 andmaintains the tab 413 around the adjustment device 420 of the cap. FIG.5I illustrates a user depressing the adhesive tabs 415 onto the bottomsurface of the bill 401. FIG. 6 illustrates the cap 400 with the brimextender 410 attached, ready for use by a wearer. In one embodiment,user instructions may be printed on the brim, such as along theunderside of the posterior portion of the brim, or the instructions maybe attached as a bonded or sewn-on label.

FIG. 7 illustrates a two layer brim extender 710, including layers 712and 714. In this embodiment, the layers 712 and 714 may comprise thesame or different materials and may provide the same or differentfunctionalities. For example, one of the layers may be a more rigidbacking or interfacing material while the other layer may be a softer orelastic material. In one example, layer 712 is a semi-stiff backingbonded or sewn to a printable, flexible and/or elastic fabric 714. Inone embodiment, the brim extender may include two layers, in which oneof the layers is a somewhat stiff backing or interfacing fabric (such asbuckram, Pellon®, plastic) and another layer is made of an elasticfabric, with the elastic fabric's inner perimeter forming an smalleroval shape than the backing material. As a result, the elastic fabricmay help keep the brim extender in place by stretching around the crownof the cap. In one embodiment, the brim extender may include an elasticband that is sewn or bonded along the inner perimeter of the brimextender. In one embodiment, the brim extender contains three layers,with a backing fabric layered between two elastic fabrics of differentcolor or style, so that the brim extender can be worn with either sidefacing upward. In one embodiment, a portion of the brim extender may beattached to the bill of the cap using a plastic or metal clip, such as adecorative paper clip or golf ball marker clip. Thus, in someembodiments, an inner perimeter of the brim extender 710 that fitsaround the cap crown is stretchable, and also, the upper and/or lowersurface of the brim is printable or any portion of the brim may beembroidered and have a label sewn-on. The layers may be bonded togetherin any manner, such as via an adhesive. Multiple layers may be used inany of the other brim extender embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example manufacturing environment that may be usedto manufacture brim extenders. In this example, a roll of material(e.g., single or multi-layer foam or material) 810 is receiving by astamping machine 820 configured to pull the material through the machine820 and to stamp (or otherwise cut-out) multiple brim extenders 830. Theprocess may be entirely or partially automated, such that the brimextenders 830 may be easily manufactured in bulk. In this example,broken lines of the brim extenders 830 show the cuts in the material810. In some implementations, the machine 820 may also include a markingcomponent configured to print, spray, iron-on, or otherwise applycoloring to the brim extenders 830, such as to provide an advertising ormarketing message on each of the brim extenders 830. In someembodiments, the material 810 is pre-marked with such marketinginformation, so that when the space of the brim extenders 830 is cutfrom the material, the advertising is appropriately positioned on thebrim extenders 830.

FIG. 9 illustrates another example embodiment of a brim extender 900, inthis example, the brim extender 900 includes two attachment slits 902.The attachment tab 903 may be better held in place when intertwined withthe attachment slits 902, such as positioned through one of theattachment slits 902 in a first direction and through the second of theattachment slits 902 in a second direction. The use of two attachmentslits may result in the tab remaining substantially on the undersurfaceof the brim except for the portion of the tab that lies between the twoslits.

FIG. 10 illustrates another example of a brim extender 920. In thisembodiment, the brim extender includes a malleable shape-holding member922 configured to allow the user to deform the brim extender 920 to adesired shape and to hold the desired shape while the brim extender 920is worn. The malleable shape-holding member 922, which may also bereferred to as a memory wire, may comprise various materials, such as amillinery wire (e.g., a 16, 19, or 23 gauge millinery wire), galvanizedsteel covered with cotton, rayon or paper, polypropylene, steel springwire, or other material that has similar shape-holding properties.

In the example of FIG. 10 , the shape-holding member 922 is attached toa bottom surface of the brim extender, such as by an adhesive or sewing.In some embodiments, the shape-holding member 922 may be attached to atleast a portion of a peripheral margin of the brim extender by sewing itunder an elastic or non-elastic binding tape and/or any other strip ofmaterial that may be folded over the brim's outer margin. In otherembodiments, a shape-holding member 922 may be held in place betweenlayers of a multi-layer brim extender, such as is shown in the exampleof FIG. 11 , which illustrates an example of a brim extender includingtop layer 950 and a bottom layer 954, with a malleable shape-holdingmember 952 interspersed between.

Advantageously, addition of the malleable shape-holding member 922,e.g., along the peripheral margin and/or at other positions of the brimextender, may allow the brim extender to be shaped to conform to thecurve of the bill of the cap. Additionally, the malleable shape-holdingmember allows the brim extender to be shaped to a style that is desiredby the user (e.g., cowboy style, bucket style, etc.). The malleableshape-holding member 922 may also provide a more rigid perimeter thatallows the brim extender to stay on the cap without other fixationdevice, or with less other fixation device, such as only a posteriortab.

The shape-holding member be uniformly positioned around a perimeter ofthe brim extender, or at some uniform distance from an outer edge of thebrim extender. In some embodiments, the shape-holding member may not touniformly distanced from the outer edge. Additionally, the shape-holdingmember may extend only around a portion of the circumference of the brimextender, such as leaving a back portion of the brim extender withoutthe shape-holding member. In some embodiments, the shape-holding membercomprises multiple wires and/or other shape-holding materials. Forexample, in one embodiment a first shape-holding member extends aroundan outer circumference of the brim extender and a second shape holdingmember extends around only a front portion of the brim extender near aninner circumference of the brim extender to provide additionaldeformation options in the front of the brim extender. In someembodiments, the shape-holding member may comprise multiple materialsthat are positioned radially or in other locations.

The brim extender may be made of material (or materials) suitable fordye sublimation or print-screen printing such as, for example, a layerof neoprene (e.g., bottom layer 954) bonded to nylon fabric (e.g., toplayer 950).

In some embodiments, a brim extender may be formed of a malleableshape-holding material, rather than or in addition to, a shape-holdingmember (e.g., a malleable wire). For example, a single or multi-layersubstrate may itself have shape-holding properties.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate an example brim extender attached to a baseballcap 962, with the brim extender in three different configurations thatare generally held in place by a malleable shape-holding member. Forexample, FIG. 12A shows the brim extender 960 arranged in a firstconfiguration with a right side 960 deformed upward with the left side961 remaining relatively horizontal, FIG. 12B shows the brim extender960 in a second configuration with both sides 960 and 961 curved upward,and FIG. 12C shows the brim extender 960 in a third configuration with afront 964 curved upward. Advantageously, the same brim extender 960provides the user with limitless configurations that best serve theuser's sun protection, aesthetic, and/or other needs.

Example Implementations

The systems, methods, and devices described herein each have severalaspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirableattributes. Without limiting the scope of this disclosure, severalnon-limiting features will now be discussed briefly. The followingparagraphs describe various example implementations of the devices,systems, and methods described herein.

In one example, a brim extender comprises a first layer that may includea substantially stiff backing material and having a first centralaperture sized to receive a crown portion of a baseball cap, a secondlayer that may include a fabric having a second central aperture sizedto receive the crown portion of the baseball cap, and a malleableshape-holding member, wherein the first and second layer are bonded orsewn together, with the malleable shape-holding member therebetween,where the malleable shape-holding member is positioned near outercircumferences of the first and second layer so that a manualdeformation of a portion of the brim extender by a user is maintained.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Thebrim extender where the malleable shape-holding member may include amillinery wire. The millinery wire is in the range of 16 to 23 gauge.The malleable shape-holding member may include galvanized steel coveredone or more of cotton, rayon or paper. The malleable shape-holdingmember may include polypropylene. The malleable shape-holding member mayinclude steel spring wire. The malleable shape-holding member extendsaround at least a portion of the first central aperture near the outercircumference of the first and second layers. The malleableshape-holding member extends around the entire outer circumferences ofthe first and second layers. The first layer may include neoprene. Thesecond layer may include nylon fabric. The brim extender may include: asecond malleable shape-holding member. The second malleableshape-holding member is positioned inward of the malleable shape-holdingmember. The second malleable shape-holding member extends radially fromnear an inner circumference of the first and second layers towards theouter circumferences of the first and second layers. At least one of thefirst and second layers form: an attachment tab extending into the firstand second central apertures; and an attachment slit sized andpositioned to allow a portion of the attachment tab to passtherethrough.

In another example embodiment, a brim extender may include asubstantially oval or circular shaped substrate that includes a centralaperture sized to receive a crown portion of a baseball cap; and amalleable shape-holding member attached to the substrate near an outeredge of the substrate, the malleable shape-holding member configured toretain manual deformations of the malleable shape-holding member and acorresponding attached portion of the substrate.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Thebrim extender where the malleable shape-holding member is glued or sewnto the substrate. The substrate includes at least two layers bonded orsewn together with the malleable shape-holding member held in placetherebetween.

In another example embodiment, a method of manufacturing a brim extendermay include positioning a malleable shape-holding member between a firstlayer may include a substantially stiff backing material and a secondlayer may include a fabric, where each of the first and second layersinclude a central aperture sized to receive a crown portion of abaseball cap; and bonding or sewing the first layer to the second layerso that the malleable shape-holding member is positioned near an outercircumferences of the first and second layers.

What is claimed is:
 1. A brim extender comprising: a sheet of materialwith a central aperture sized to fit over the crown of a baseball-stylecap; and a malleable shape-holding member attached at or near aperipheral margin of at least a portion of the periphery of the brimextender; wherein the malleable shape-holding member is configured toretain manual manipulations of the brim extender.
 2. The brim extenderof claim 1, wherein the malleable shape-holding member comprises a wire.3. The brim extender of claim 2, wherein the wire is in the range of 12to 23 gauge.
 4. The brim extender of claim 1, wherein the malleableshape-holding member comprises polypropylene.
 5. The brim extender ofclaim 1, wherein the malleable shape-holding member comprises one ormore of a malleable metal, steel, or copper.
 6. The brim extender ofclaim 1, wherein the malleable shape-holding member is sewn to the brimextender
 7. The brim extender of claim 1, wherein the malleableshape-holding member is sewn to the brim extender by enclosing it withinan elastic or non-elastic fabric binding that is sewn or glued at ornear the periphery of the brim extender.
 8. The brim extender of claim7, wherein the periphery of the brim extender comprises at least agenerally semicircular outer circumference of the sheet of material. 9.The brim extender of claim 1, wherein the malleable shape-holding memberextends around the entire outer circumferences of the sheet of material.10. The brim extender of claim 1, wherein the sheet of materialcomprises at least two laminated sheets.
 11. The brim extender of claim10, wherein at least one of the sheets is suitable for printing.
 12. Thebrim extender of claim 1, further comprising: one or more tabscomprising an attachment component configured to adhere to thebaseball-style cap.
 13. The brim extender of claim 12, wherein the oneor more tabs comprises an adhesive.
 14. The brim extender of claim 12,wherein the one or more tabs comprise a hook-and-loop fasteningmaterial.
 15. The brim extender of claim 14, wherein the hook-and-loopfastening material is positioned to adhere to a correspondinghook-and-loop fastening material in a matching portion of thebaseball-style cap.
 16. The brim extender of claim 1, further comprisingan adhering material located along the undersurface of the sheet ofmaterial and is configured to adhere the sheet of material to a similarmaterial located on an upper portion of a bill of the baseball-stylecap.
 17. The brim extender of claim 12, wherein the attachment componentis located along an upper surface of at least one tab and is configuredto attach to similar attachment material along an undersurface of acrown of the baseball-style cap.
 18. A brim extender comprising: asubstantially oval or circular shaped substrate comprising a centralaperture sized to receive a crown portion of a baseball cap; and amalleable shape-holding member attached to the substrate near an outeredge of the substrate, the malleable shape-holding member configured toretain manual deformations of the malleable shape-holding member and acorresponding attached portion of the substrate.
 19. The brim extenderof claim 18, wherein the malleable shape-holding member is glued or sewnto the substrate.
 20. A method of manufacturing a brim extendercomprising: positioning a malleable shape-holding member between a firstlayer comprising a substantially stiff backing material and a secondlayer comprising a fabric, wherein each of the first and second layersinclude a central aperture sized to receive a crown portion of abaseball cap; and bonding or sewing the first layer to the second layerso that the malleable shape-holding member is positioned near an outercircumferences of the first and second layers.